Mrs. Bob: A Novel — page 41: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

HAWK’S NEST. ou ‘“Why, she’s only a supernumerary about here, a surplus piece of furniture, as it were, useful for cer- tain purposes, but not a matter of great importance— a sort of chaperon, as it were.”’ ‘“Then the real Miss Gordon, the wonderful crea- ture who is back of this paradise in the forest with whom we are to deal—have you seen here ?’’ “Well, hear the innocent question! You have had the lady to yourself two hours or more, saved her life, and no doubt won her everlasting gratitude. ”’ Bob springs almost out of his chair. ‘“‘Tohn Archer, do you mean to tell me that will- o’-the-wisp, that Diana of the forest, that remarkable girl with whom I fought for life against the flames, is Estelle Gordon, the person whom we have come thousands of miles to meet ?”? “T do,’’? solemnly replies the diplomat. ‘Flow do you know it ?’’ suspiciously. “By a dozen different signs. To begin with, her aunt told me so—then Livingstone has spoken of her—you know why he is here.”’ “T can guess it, John, and the other, too.’’ ‘You mean Monsieur Merle—well, he’s a lawyer and scents a big fat fee ahead—he has the faculty of discovering such things, even as a buzzard can detect the presence of carrion. I tell you, my dear Bob, we’ve got a tremendous job before us, but, thank goodness, your adventure gives us the inside track.”’ ‘““Oh, you think so, eh? Well, let’s get ready to go to the table. I confess I’m famished, and a good meal will do wonders toward restoring me. We’ll talk over this singular matter at our leisure.’’ iim CONnNIElOOkkS.E©